Drug Rehab More Effective Than Harm Reduction, UK Government Says
Here’s the first paragraph of a recent news story from the UK: “The Government has announced its new drug strategy with an uncompromising drive to crack down on those involved in the drugs trade combined with revolutionising treatment services to offer recovery as a route out of dependency. “
Wow. A revolutionary treatment – actually getting the person through a drug rehab program that makes an addict no longer an addict, and no longer wanting to take drugs. A new life.
It’s hard not to be flippant about that. It is so obviously the only real solution.
But in the UK, and in other countries, getting people to actually be able to stop taking drugs and not want to take them is a concept that was abandoned quite some time ago. Instead, they try to reduce the harm caused by the drugs.
There are several programs designed for harm reduction.
Methadone treatment. Methadone was originally intended, for most people, for short-term use to get someone through heroin withdrawal so they can get through a drug rehab program. Instead, people are parked on methadone for years and without any actual rehab at all. The rationale? It’s better than heroin: no needles, no crime (the methadone is supplied at nominal cost through the government), and they can often work and carry on a more or less normal life – as long as they keep taking this dangerous, highly addictive drug.
Other programs include needle exchanges, where the addict can come to a needle exchange site, get a clean needle instead of using one that’s been used by someone else and may be infected with HIV or other diseases. They can also shoot up at those sites, with personnel there to take care of them if they overdose.
Both reduce harm, true, but neither gets the person off drugs.
James Brokenshire, England’s Minister for Crime Prevention is determined to make changes. “There are no quick fixes, what we want to achieve is a generational shift, to get people to take responsibility for their actions and free themselves from the vicious cycle of drug and alcohol dependency.
“Today’s message is clear. Simply focusing on reducing the harms cause by illicit drug use is no longer enough. We must focus on recovery as the most effective route out of dependency.
“We will also tighten the net on unscrupulous drug dealers, introduce temporary banning orders to allow us to take immediate action against new ‘legal highs’, protect vulnerable young people by preventing them from falling into a cycle of dependency, and encourage record numbers of drug users into treatment.”
Hallelujah! More power to you!
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